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Show Universal Enthusiasm Greets Red Jackson And Obie O'llrine After 120-Hour Flight; Fliers Not Wearied ST. LOUIS, July 31 (UP) Aviation's newest heroes two grinning young men who "look as if they were going to a party" received plaudits of the world today, having made the longest airplane Iliivht since mankind learned to fly. Out in a hangar at Lambert St. Louis airport, a slim orange monoplane mono-plane stood, its motor silent and its wheels on the earth for the flist time in eighteen days. The hoys are Uale "Red" Jackson and Forrest "Ohie" O'Brlne and Hit monoplane is the Ht. Louia Robin. Those three names today W,'i-e the most famous in America. Land A tier 420 Hours The Robin landed at Lambert field last slight at 7:49 o'clock, having hav-ing remained in continuous flight 4110 hours 21 'i minutes or 173 hours and 37 minutes longer than any other plane that ever flew. riaiie and pilots landed unbeaten. Jackson and O'Brlne brought the plane to a perfect landing with the power on, unconquered and unwilling, un-willing, still bellev-my "we could take the eume ship and break the rfecord we have Just set" they landed under orr.us from Major William B. Robertson, chief sponsor spon-sor of the flight, after it had been decided that nil objects of the flight had been accomplished, and a record far in advance of all expectations ex-pectations had been set. In other words the Robin came down with its pilots and sponsors feeling, as somebody expressed It, "there's no use fighting any . more when the bntllt-s won." Kst ini.ileil earnings of the pilots were $;!l,I,fl jointly. So many different awards are waiting lor them that the exact amount they will realize from the tht'ht ii unknown. It will average about $2 per minute, it v s ett. ' I .-. !!. I'. ' I h. LI 1". I In I ' '' - .Virpl.iT". .1 Jn ,1,1,,.; ,-,,,. I pan.v. mutters ol the challenger motor. "Come down sometime today," Major Robertson said in a message sent via the refueling plane yesterday yes-terday morning. Curt llespimse at LeSfc For hours there was silence from the mango plane. Earlier, the. fliers h's dropped a note saying say-ing everything was fine, and they (Continued on Page Four) ENDURANCE ACES LAND (Continued From Parre One) planned to "shoot at the 500 mark " All day yesterday the plane circled t its usual 4,000 feet, apparently ignoring the order. Then late in the afternoon it dived, roared low over the field, and dropped a note, curt with disappointment and chagrin: "We will land sometime between six and eight. Maybe before that time." Immediately crowds began to gather at Lambert field, and by 7 o'clock a mass of 25,000 people were jammed along the runway. It was 1 a cheering, happy, exuberant crowd, despite a sudden storm which delayed the landing, and drenched the spectators. Finally, at about 7:35 the high flying plane dived, and circled close to the field. The crowd plunged through police lines and streamed out onto the runways, cheering and waving. After circling cir-cling several times at a low altitude, alti-tude, Jackson and O'Brine suddenly sudden-ly "straightened out" the plane, swept down to an easy "three point" landing and taxied up to the edge of the field- The glass door of the Robin opened and out stepped two neat, freshly-shaven young men, dressed in dark trousers and clean white shirts. Their straw hats were in their hands, and their faces bore wide and heartfelt grins. For a moment the throng stood amazed at the sight so amazingly different from the haggard, worn men they had expected to see. Then with one shout, the crowd swept forward and engulfed the flyers and plane, squads ot police were ahead of it however, and while the flyers were rushed, straw hats in hand, to a nearby hangar, a cordon cor-don of police and field operatives surrounded and protected the monoplane. Just a Little Tired "Outside of feeling a little tired we feel fine," announced Jackson. A flurry shook the police lines " and there appeared two young women one a, tall, striking blonde, the other short, plum) and tremendously tre-mendously excited. They were Mrs. Sally Jackson, wife of "Red," and Mrs. Susie O'Brine, "Obie's" better half." Much hugging and kissing en-' sued. Both flyers apparently could hear J with perfect ease, despite their 18 daya behind a constantly roaring motor. "Why did you finally decide to land?" they were asked. The smile died off O'Brine'3 face, and Jackson's lips were grim. "The death of George Lambert more than anything else," Jackson said slowly. George Lea Lambert, close friend of the fliers and vice president of Von Hoffmann Aviation company, was killed when he and a student pilot crashed seven miles from Lambert field Monday. The student, stu-dent, Harold C. Jones, died in another an-other plane on the way to a St. Louis hospital. |